Antigua and Barbuda - Environment

Water management is the principal environmental concern. A water
shortage due to limited freshwater resources is exacerbated by limited
rainfall and drought. The existing water supply is threatened by
pollution from distilleries, food processing facilities, and other
industrial operations. Deforestation resulting from the nation's
energy demands, combined with agricultural development, contributes to
soil erosion, as rainfall, which is concentrated in a short season,
quickly runs off, compounding the water shortage problem on the islands.
The nation's main city, St. John's, has developed a
problem with waste disposal. Untreated sewage from resort hotels travels
in open sewage lines across the land and empties into the sea.
Construction of a desalination plant in 1970 relieved some of the water
shortage. The government of Antigua and Barbuda created a Historical,
Conservation, and Environmental Commission. There are four main
protected areas, including the offshore islands of North Sound and
Codrington Lagoon of Barbuda. Endangered species in the nation include
the Antiguan ground lizard, the West Indian whistling duck, and the
Antiguan racer.